Additional evidence against UK lawmakers

London: Six MPs and peers could face fraud charges over their expenses claims in the New Year.

Scotland Yard on Wednesday handed two more files of evidence against politicians suspected of abusing expenses to prosecutors.

It means the number of parliamentarians facing prosecution has risen from four to six, with more still being investigated.

They could face trial on counts of fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of ten years, or false accounting, for which the maximum penalty is seven years. Police have not disclosed the names of the six whose cases they sent to Simon Clements, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division.

However, it is known that detectives believe there is strong evidence against Labour MPs Elliot Morley and David Chaytor, and Labour peer Baroness Uddin.

Others believed to be under police investigation include Labour MP Jim Devine, Tory Lord Hanningfield and Labour's Lord Clarke of Hampstead. All deny any wrongdoing.

The disclosure that police are still looking at a number of further cases means the main parties fear a line will not be drawn under the affair before the General Election.

Embarrassment

Any delay could result in the highly embarrassing spectacle of parliamentarians appearing in court before the election, which could take place as early as March 25.

Scotland Yard detectives handed over files on the first four MPs and peers last month.

If no criminal charges are brought by the CPS, lawyers will mount a private prosecution of MPs after Daily Mail readers donated tens of thousands of pounds to the TaxPayers' Alliance to fund a case.

Former Speaker Michael Martin blocked an attempt to overhaul the discredited second home allowance system more than two years ago, it emerged yesterday.

The former paymaster of MPs, Sir John Baker, said he suspected all was not well before the expenses scandal erupted.